It’s a common trend that most companies that attend industry conferences do not sponsor or exhibit. They don’t want the expense and effort, and prefer to network the best they can in a crowd – and this is fantastic news for those that do choose step up and be noticed! Here’s a list of our favorite benefits to Sponsoring & Exhibiting.
- Save Money
Contrary to the belief that sponsorships or exhibiting is expensive, it can actually save you money, which is why those that do, continue to do so year after year. The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIF) states that it costs 62% less to close a lead generated from a trade show than one that originated in the field. - Stand Out From The Crowd
Conferences attract companies that are active in the industry and open to learning more. These companies mostly send decision-makers who are looking for new ways to improve their business, so standing out from the crowd gives you a significant advantage. Decision-makers also look to those sponsoring and exhibiting first as the “stronger” options in the marketplace. - More Productive Networking
Typically sponsors have some form of additional recognition such as a ribbon on their delegate badge that helps identify them, which attracts attendees to open dialogue with them as they are recognized as some of the most active companies. A step further, if you have an Exhibit Space or Reserved Meeting Table you have a static place where people know they can come and speak with you, where you can more effectively hold meetings and demonstrations, making finding new contacts so much easier – as they come to you. - Showcase Your Products & Services
Companies are always innovating, and so your target audience may think they know you if you have been around for a while, but they unlikely know enough about your latest offerings and this gives you an opportunity to reengage and reintroduce your latest products and services. For new entrants to a marketplace, showcasing what you do at conferences is the fastest way to grow marketshare. - Develop & Strengthen Your Brand
Similarly, by standing out from the crowd you are strengthening your brand visibility, even to those companies that will not do business with you…yet! It can take several years to get on the radar of the largest companies, and your visual branding at conferences goes a long way to speeding up that process. - Reaffirm Confidence Among Existing Clients
Having a continued significant presence at industry events year on year, shows your existing customers that your company is strong, reaffirming their confidence in doing business with you. This is also important for national and international clients that do not see you face to face that often. - Distract Your Competition
If you are Sponsoring and / or Exhibiting and your competitor(s) are not, you not only have an obvious advantage, but often your competitors spend more time obsessing over your superior visibility and who is visiting your exhibit space, than networking for themselves, further enhancing your advantage. - Recruit New Employees
Industry events attract high-caliber attendees, some of whom may be looking to advance their careers when an opportunity arises, and by Sponsoring / Exhibiting you are better positioned to attract those talented and experienced professionals to make the move to your company. - Solidify Your Commitment To The Industry
Industry events are not possible without the financial commitment of Sponsors and Exhibitors, and so there’s an inherent respect from all attendees for those that step up and commit funds to enable them to have a forum in which to do business. In turn, that commitment helps to solidify your company as a legitimate resource for industry solutions. - Benefit From Pre-Event & Post Event Exposure
While some conferences do more of this than others, an often overlooked advantage of Sponsorships and Exhibiting packages is the brand recognition and visibility your company receives before the event even happens and follow up publicity afterwards. Sometimes, if you sign up early you can benefit from months of additional recognition, which encourages even those not attending the event itself to research your company online and reach out for more information.
If you work in the vacation ownership, hotel, resort or travel industry, you can benefit from all of the above by getting involved with GNEX Conference. The next exciting event is in Miami, FL, onboard a $40 million mega-yacht, with accommodations at Intercontinental Miami, 26-28 February 2018.
For more information visit https://gnexconference.com/sponsorship
About GNEX Conference
With a new destination every year, a heavy focus on networking, high-quality events, and innovative format, GNEX Conferences attract senior-level executives from more than 130+ companies across the globe. The conference brings together a unique mix of attendees from traditionally separated segments of the hospitality industry, enabling you to network with companies that specialize in Hotels, Vacation Ownership, Resort Real Estate, Vacation Rentals, OTAs, Travel Agencies & Travel Clubs, plus all the vendors that supply them, including Resort Management, Sales & Marketing, Legal & Financial, Construction & Renovation, Technology, HR & Training and more… For more details on our next event onboard the world’s first mega-yacht event venue in Miami, visit https://gnexconference.com
